You think you might have emotional trouble shooting a bad guy?

[Bark'n]

Wow, I couldn't believe what I just saw on Judge Judy.

Okay, okay... Not only do I believe it, but I've actually known it for quite some time now. I just had never seen it actually displayed in such a stark reality before.

Okay, here's the story.

A sixteen year old man from Chicago is standing before Judge Judy with his father present. He is walking home from his girlfriends house and he is feeling too cold to walk the rest of the way home. He see's a woman getting out of her car in front of her house so he goes up to her, knocks her to the ground causing minor injuries and carjacks her.

I get the jest that police see him driving erratically and attempt to pull him over. He runs from the police and gets into a major police chase which results in him crashing the car. He gets arrested and pleads down to a lesser charge resulting in a mere 5 years probation.

The case is before Judge Judy because the woman is suing him for the damage to her car.

As Judge Judy questions him she finds that he has 4 prior arrests, none of which led to any convictions. One arrest was for assault on a school teacher.

He looks like a normal well dressed young man of high school age. His father is a carpenter who works six and seven days a week. He works with is father approx. 3 days per week.

This kid actually believed he was not responsible for paying damages because it wasn't his car.

He admitted that he knew what he did was wrong. He admitted it was his fault that he knocked the woman down, stole her car, got in a chase with police and crashed the car. However, it wasn't his responsibility to pay for the damages because it was the police's fault for chasing him and it also wasn't his car.

Judge Judy went into a tirade over how this is what happens when no one is held accountable for their actions. Each time this kid got arrested, nothing happened to him. Even with the conviction in this case, nothing really happened to him other than five years probation.

So, getting back to the title of my post... You think you may have a problem shooting a person who places you in a deadly force scenario? Well, chances are good, that person could not care less what happens to you and that they don't feel any responsibility for what they are doing to you.

I looked at my wife after seeing that case and all she said was "It's too bad that in Chicago that woman isn't allowed to have a gun to protect herself." and "It's Chicago, if we're lucky, someones bullet will find that kid before he can hurt anyone else."

Yep, we've got an entire generation of thugs who absolutely does not care about anyone or anything and will not accept any responsibility for their actions. That's a bad combination!

Stay armed and remember, the one attacking you, likely couldn't care less what happens to you.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[BugDude]

I've always assumed if they had no more regard for me than to attck, assault, rob, pull a weapon, etc. then they could care less about what happens to me. That's the premise of the criminal intent...selfishness with no regard for anyone else. Pretty hard to believe that this kid thought he could pump this line to a Judge and them buy it. I wish I would have seen that episode and heard the rash she doled out to him.

[sigmanluke]

No problems here.....I'm just saying.

I hope I never am put into that situation though.

Edit: By the way, I REALLY -HATE- "Judge" Judy.

[jualdeaux]

I don't think I would. Until afterwards. Maybe.

[Timezoneguy]

Fortunately I've never been in that situation. I have established some, for lack of a better term and no pun intended, trigger points. For example, a guy shoves me away from my car and tries to drive away, he can have it. Road rage secnario; guy boxes me in. Kicks my car, bangs his fist on the glass, I'll get his plate number and dial 911, breaks the glass or approaches with a weapon, I'll shoot. Calls me a S.O.B. or anything else from accross the parking lot, I'll walk away; approaches and continues agressive at 30 feet I draw/warn at 20 feet I fire. Looks like I have it all figured out. Will it be so simple in reality, not a chance. I agree we continue to slap the hands of these people who escalate to more and more serious crimes. One day he will kill someone and we will all wonder how this happened. One final thing. If you have a gun and deliberately point it at me, in anger, I will not hesitate, I will not assume he does not plan to shoot, I will not assume he's not nervious and his finger won't pull the trigger. I pray it never happens.

[CLASS3NH]

If most of you can recall, (The Senior Forum Members) I posted an incident about 4 yrs ago, that actually happened to me. On Tuesday March 28, 2006 at 6:45PM. I was run down by a man of 76 yrs old.YES 76 yrs old. He ran me over, crushing my left leg and ankle,which will never be correct again, and then drove off, knowing what he did to me. When the PD came for him at his home, ( I was able to identify his Vehicle Tags and himself) he changed his attire after entering his home, he stated he was never out of the house that night. (the PD went outside and felt the hood of the vehicle and found my hand prints on the hood, noting that I slid off the hood as well.
The Judge allowed him to plea down to a lesser charge, after badgering me about how "he's just a poor old man" Well, had I been armed that night ( I went home, changed clothes, and forgot to take my USP Compact 40 with me) I'm sure I would have been arrainged on gun charges that night, as I would have emptied the mag into him and the car in order to defend myself. As I see it now, I feel that people, whatever age they are, will take, or attempt to take your life in a heartbeat, and most of them will not even blink an eye at it.
Sad state of affairs we live in at this time.

[ladman]

Not for a second.

[fastk9dad]

He looks like a normal well dressed young man of high school age. His father is a carpenter who works six and seven days a week. He works with is father approx. 3 days per week.

You forgot the best part... he only works 3 days a week because he has a social life!

I'm sorry he is a POS. He was cold and wanted to get home. Maybe if he worked more he could afford his own wheels. Oh, I forget it's easier to steal other peoples things. :/

I'm glad Judge Judy let him have it, I actually thought she went a little easy on him, I've seen her make people look worse.

But it doesn't matter, he didn't learn a thing, at the end of the show he still thinks he shouldn't have to pay for the damage to the car he stole and crashed. "The police got in his way."

I weep for society.

[fastk9dad]

If most of you can recall, (The Senior Forum Members) I posted an incident about 4 yrs ago, that actually happened to me. On Tuesday March 28, 2006 at 6:45PM. I was run down by a man of 76 yrs old.YES 76 yrs old. He ran me over, crushing my left leg and ankle,which will never be correct again, and then drove off, knowing what he did to me. When the PD came for him at his home, ( I was able to identify his Vehicle Tags and himself) he changed his attire after entering his home, he stated he was never out of the house that night. (the PD went outside and felt the hood of the vehicle and found my hand prints on the hood, noting that I slid off the hood as well.
The Judge allowed him to plea down to a lesser charge, after badgering me about how "he's just a poor old man" Well, had I been armed that night ( I went home, changed clothes, and forgot to take my USP Compact 40 with me) I'm sure I would have been arrainged on gun charges that night, as I would have emptied the mag into him and the car in order to defend myself. As I see it now, I feel that people, whatever age they are, will take, or attempt to take your life in a heartbeat, and most of them will not even blink an eye at it.
Sad state of affairs we live in at this time.

First I'm sorry to hear about your accident and that's terrible about allowing him to plead to a lesser charge!

I'd would of taken him for everything I could in civil court though.

[REVMAN]

Like everyone, I hope I never have to use it but the reason I carry is to protect my family and myself. I'm sure if I do have to, it would always be in my mind but I would surely use it without any doubt.

[ccw9mm]

... remember, the one attacking you, likely couldn't care less what happens to you.

The mere fact a person is attempting to negotiate over the taking of my life or the lives of my loved ones is all the proof needed.

I might well have emotional "problems" of a sort, after erasing such a person from a threatening position over me or mine. But I doubt it'll be over the loss of such a person, pretty much because of the simple realities you're describing.

[Deanimator]

I reserve my sympathies for people who deserve them.

I can feel sorry for AIDS babies or armed robbers, NOT both.

The babies get the nod.

[grady]

I weep for society.

Agreed... at least for those of us who have to share the planet with these clueless, immoral, egocentric bipeds.

I don't weep for the perps... regardless of their upbringing or circumstances, they made the final choice to harm others. The perps are accountable, and should be held accountable, for their actions.

IMO it would be justice if the next time the boy jacks a car, it belongs to a judge or lawyer who freed the little perv after one of his other encounters on the wrong side of the law.

Bark'n, thanks for the reality check.

[gaowlpoop]

When I first got my carry permit I did a lot of soul searching as to whether I was really gong to strap that gun on or not. I finally decided that I had enough control that it would have to come down to a him or me (or a member of my family) situation before I used the weapon.

I now practice shooting and in my minds eye, the target is a bad guy and that is making a major threat and I shoot for the center of mass.

I carry ALL the time now and do not feel right (naked) without my gun.

[Thumper]

Somewhere inside of me there's a faint hope that not all of this next generation is as heartless and selfish as this kid is... unfortunately, it's a very small and dying hope.

So to answer your question, if someone forces me to stop them from killing me or a member of my family, no, I won't have any problem.